Articulated pivotable continuous conveyor mounted on a wheeled frame, preferably carrying also a rotating mixer

ABSTRACT

A continuous conveyor of a foldable type mounted on a wheeled frame, preferably of a self-propelled vehicle, together with the means for driving the conveyor and to vary the relative positions of the parts forming the conveyor from its inoperative position in which it is folded to occupy the most reduced space, to any desired working position. The conveyor is preferably associated with a concrete mixer truck and is constituted of at least two rectangular frame sections pivotally interconnected and supported by a bracket to freely projecting outwards. The conveyor rotates around a vertical axis to be moved from its retracted arrangement in which it is folded along a lateral side of the vehicle, to an arrangement in which its charging end is positioned in the longitudinal vertical center plane of the vehicle and just below the discharge opening of the mixer of the truck.

States atet finite ossi [ 1 Aug. 15,1972

[72] Inventor: Lionello Rossi, Via Tiburtina, Km.

16,500, Rome, ltaly [22] Filed: Dec. 28, 1970 [21] App1.No.: 101,991

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data Jan. 15, 1970 Italy ..4779l A/7O [52] US. Cl ..259/169, 214/8326 [51] Int. Cl ..B28c 7/16 [58] Field of Search ..259/l6l, 163, 169, 170, 172; 214/8326, 520

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,935,922 11/1933 Stepanian ..259/169 2,705,621 4/1955 Kinney ..259/16l 2,717,769 9/1955 Masek ..259/l72 2/1968 Duecy ..259/1 69 7/1970 Rossi ..214/83.26

Primary Examiner-Robert W. Jenkins AttorneyFleit, Gipple & Jacobson [5 7] ABSTRACT A continuous conveyor of a foldable type mounted on a wheeled frame, preferably of a self-propelled vehicle, together with the means for driving the conveyor and to vary the relative positions of the parts forming the conveyor from its inoperative position in which it is folded to occupy the most reduced space, to any desired working position. The conveyor is preferably associated with a concrete mixer truck and is constituted of at least two rectangular frame sections pivotally interconnected and supported by a bracket to freely projecting outwards. The conveyor rotates around a vertical axis to be moved from its retracted arrangement in which it is folded along a lateral side of the vehicle, to an arrangement in which its charging end is positioned in the longitudinal vertical center plane of the vehicle and just below the discharge opening of the mixer of the truck.

10 Claims, 15 Drawing Figures PATENTED 15 3,684,255.

sum 1 or 7 Lionzllo R EXEI ATTORNEYS PATENTED 15 I972 3,684,255

sum 0F 7 F/6.3c1. I

PATENTED I97? 3 6 84 2 55 I sum s 0? 7 ARTICULATED PIVOTABLE CONTINUOUS CONVEYOR MOUNTED ON A WI-IEELED FRAME, PREFERABLY CARRYING ALSO A ROTATING MIXER The invention relates to a continuous conveyor mounted on a wheeled frame and more particularly of a self-propelled vehicle, said conveyor being of a continuous type, foldable and orientable in different directions so as to be able to be rotated in any vertical and/or horizontal plane. As has been hereinabove stated, the vehicle carrying the conveyor is preferably a self-propelled vehicle, so as to be able to travel along roads and the like. Of course, nothing prevents that a conveyor according to the present invention is constructed, which is carried on a wheeled frame designed for being towed by a tractor or the like.

This conveyor is preferably intended to be used in combination with a rotating mixer mounted on the same vehicle, said mixer being designed for containing and trasporting concrete, prepared in a centralized concrete mixing equipment, directly to the working spot, while keeping said concrete in continuous circulation during its transport.

Said conveyor is so constructed that, when not in use, it can be folded and positioned along a lateral side of the mixer, enabling the conveyor to attain such an arrangement which does not exceed the clearance gauge necessary for vehicles intended to travel along roads. By means of a system including only two driving means, as for instance, two hydraulic jacks and the like, and in combination with an articulated guiding rod system and with a certain number of disconnectable locking means, said conveyor can quickly be moved from its inoperative arrangement, in which said conveyor occupies the most reduced space, to one of its operative positions, which can be selected within a large range of various angular positions so that the conveyor can carry out different performances within a wide operative field, since it can be arranged in different angular positions by its rotation in a horizontal and/or vertical plane. Each of said two driving means, more particularly, jacks or other analogous devices, in combination with the engagement or disengagement of the said locking means, is designed for accomplishing two tasks, i.e., the task of causing the mutual position of the conveyor parts to be varied in order to move said conveyor from its folded inoperative position to an operative position, wherein its charging end is positioned below the discharge orifice of the mixer, and that of causing the conveyor to be moved from one of the various working positions to another, by causing the conveyor to rotate around a horizontal and/or vertical axis so as to dispose the conveyor for conveying the material, which has been fallen down on it, until the spot having the desired position and height, which can be also lower than the one of the end os the conveyor, on which the material has been charged.

In particular in the conveyor according to the present invention, if it is associated with a rotating mixer or the like, provision has been made that the conveyor endless band and the like in any of working positions of the conveyor is able to directly receive the material which comes out of and freely falls down from the mixer, without being more necessary that said material must travel and be guided along an inclined an ungularly displaceable chuts which is commonly provided below the discharge hopper of the mixer. Said solution enables to save a height of about I m with regard to the similar known machines, where the material coming out of the concrete mixer falls down on the conveyor passing through the aforementioned chute; as a consequence, the length being equal, the conveyor of the present invention enables to convey the material over a height which is increased of the said value. As a variant, the invention further provides to maintain said discharge chute, but this latter is carried by an articulated guiding system which is so arranged that, when the conveyor is in its inoperative position, said chute is positioned below the discharge opening of the mixer and therefore, when it is necessary, through it the concrete can be discharged according to the normal dispensing operation directly on the ground or into containers or other suitable lifting devices, which can be easily pushed below the discharge opening, since said operations are not at all hindered from the conveyor which is now folded along a lateral side of the machine. In contrast, said articulated system will automatically move away said chute from the discharge opening of the mixer on the approaching of the charging end of the conveyor so that the concrete can fall down directly from the mixer on the endless band of the conveyor.

An other important advantage of the machine of the invention consists in the fact that the folding of the frame sections forming the carrying structure over which is entrained the endless band is performed while maintaining the parts of the conveyor in such an arrangement hat, as they are folded, the lower surface of the conveyor always faces downwards, along said lower surface running the lower return run of the endless band or the like which is supported by a plurality of return rollers arranged along said surface. In consequence thereof also in the folded position of the conveyor sections, the endless band is always carried by said return rollers in contrast with what happens using the conveyors of the known foldable type, wherein at least some sections which from the conveyor, as they are folded, have their upper surface turned downwards so that the endless band, owing to the fact that its upper run is guided over said surface and only rests on it, as said surface will be turned over, hangs down, thus obstructing the movements and forming dangerous gripping menas.

The invention provides that the conveyor is constituted, preferably, of two lengths or sections; but according to a variant provision is made that the conveyor is constituted of three sections in order to attain a greater length.

The accompanying drawings show merely by way of indicative example without limitation of the invention two embodiments of the invention, in the case wherein the conveyor is associated with a rotating mixer and precisely:

FIGS. 1 and la are a side elevation view and a top view respectively of the conveyor of the invention, when the conveyor is constituted of two sections, said conveyor being shown in its folded arrangements;

FIGS. 2 and 3 are side partial elevation views of the conveyor in two intermediate successive positions of its developping phase for reaching one of its working positions;

FIG. 3a is the top view of the conveyor in the position of FIG. 3;

FIG. 4 is a side elevation view of the machine when the longitudinal vertical center plane YY of the conveyor coincides with the corresponding vertical center plane XX of the vehicle; in this Figure the conveyor is shown in its horizontal arrangement, while in broken lines are shown two inclined positions of said conveyor;

FIG. shows a detail of FIG. 1 in an enlarged scale;

FIG. 6 is a detail of the rear view of the vehicle in an enlarged scale, when the plane YY of the conveyor is set at right angle with respect of the plane X-X of the vehicle;

FIG. 7 is a detail in a side elevation view of one of the working positions of the conveyor which have been shown in FIG. 4;

FIGS. 8 to show in an enlarged scale the top view of the detail of the charging end of the conveyor and of the rear portion of the rotating mixer as well as of the devices provided to perform the angular movements of the conveyor by means of rotary movements around vertical axes, the charging hopper overhanging the mixer and the discharge opening of said-mixer being omitted.

FIGS. 11 to 13 are the side elevation views of a conveyor constituted of three sections interconnected by hinge means, which is shown in one of three intermediate successive positions of its developping phase.

It is to be noted that the vehicle, the continuous conveyor and the eventual rotating mixer and the like as sociated therewith operate in conventional manner so that the description and the drawings illustrate in detail only the parts which concern the present invention.

Now referring to the drawings, at l is marked the frame of the vehicle, which is mounted on wheels 2 and which carries a driving apparatus 3 as well asthe control devices or the like associated therewith, said vehi cle being driven from a drivers compartment 4. Said driving apparatus or engine may include conventional power take-off means for driving the rotating mixer 5 or the like, which is mounted on the frame l by means of a framework 17 integral with engine 3a for actuating the conveyor, in particular for moving it from its inoperative position to one of its operative positions and vice versa, and for driving the endless band 11 or the like during its operative cycles, said engine being associated with control means 3b mounted on the same lateral side of the frame 1 on which will be brought the conveyor, when in its folded position.

In the shown embodiments provision is made to associate the conveyor with a rotating mixer 5, i.e., a mixer designed for keeping the concrete in continual circulation which has been prepared in 9. making concrete equipment so as to transport it ready for use to the utilization spot, said mixer 5 being provided with a charging hopper 6 and a discharge opening 6a with which is commonly associated a distribution chute 7 of an angularly displaceable type designed for guiding the concrete towards discharge point.

The conveyor provided with an endless band 11 or the like, according to the embodiment of FIGS. 1 to 10 is constituted of two sections 8 and 9 each formed of a frame of a substantially rectangular form and interconnected by a hinge 10 having an axis set at right angle with respect to the longitudinal vertical center plane YY of the conveyor. Neither the drivingand guiding means of the endless band 1 1 or the like entrained over said sections, nor the supporting rollers or the return rollers have been shown, other than the roller 12 mounted on the outer end of the section 9, since only the carrying structure of the conveyor has been modified by the invention, the operation of the conveying means being conventional.

In each of the positions taken by the conveyor of this embodiment, the working run of the endless band 11 always faces upwards so that during the relative folding of the sections 8 and 9, the endless band on the return run cannot move downwards, since it is retained by the return rollers arranged along the lower surface of the conveyor (said rollers being not shown in the drawings) on account of the fact that said lower surface always faces downwards.

The first section 8 of the conveyor comprises the charging end 83. provided with inclined side walls 13 designed for guiding the material to fall down on the endless band 11. At this end 8a the frame 8 is supported so as to be able to rotate around a horizontal axis Z-Z of a pair of coaxial pins 15 carried by a stirrup 14 integral with the vertical shaft 34 pivotally mounted into a sleeve 16 integral with a bracket 18 pivotally connected, by means of a hinge comprising, the pivot pin 19 having a vertical axis VV to the framework 17 securely fixed to the frame 1. Thus the conveyor can rotate around the horizontal pivot axis ZZ of the hinge 15 while maintaining in a stationary position its longitudinal vertical center plane Y-Y, and said hinge l5 and therefore the conveyor can perform angular displacements along horizontal paths rotating around the vertical axis VV of the hinge pin 19, in the case wherein any rotation between the shaft 34 and the sleeve 16 is prevented by means of a pin or the like 45 which is inserted into a through hole arranged in the sleeve 16 and a dead hole arranged in the rod 34 as they holes are so positioned to be in register with each other (said holes being not shown in the drawings). p

This latter rotation enables the conveyor to pass from its inoperative arrangement (FIGS. l,la,5), wherein it is folded along one of the lateral sides of the vehicle, to the arrangementin which its charging end 8a is placed below the discharge hopper 6a (FIGS. 3 and 3a).

The operations and the means are now described which are designed for moving the parts of the conveyor from their inoperative arrangement to their operative position and vice versa, and to cause the conveyor to move from one of its operative or working positions to another.

In FIGS. 1,1a and 5 the conveyor is shown in its inoperative arrangement, in which the section 8 is substantially vertical, but lightly inclined forward, while the section 9 is substantially horizontal. The lower end of the shaft 34 is integral with a fork-shaped arm 20 to which is articulated at 21 one of the ends of a jack 22 or the like, the other end of which is articulated at 23 to the frame 9 at an intermediate point of this latter. At 24a and 24b are indicated holes arranged in the sides of the section 8 near the end 8a and in the stirrup 14 respectively, said holes being intended to come into register, when the conveyor is in its folded arrangement,

so that a pin can be inserted in them, which makes inoperative the hinge 15, thus preventing any rotary movement of the section 8, and therefore of the conveyor, around the pivot axis ZZ. As the pin 25 has been inserted into the holes 24a,24b, is the jack 22 which supports the section 9, while this latter at its front position in which it occupies the most reduced space, is stably supported.

For carrying out the developping of the conveyor the jack 22 will be actuated so that as the length of this latter increases, the section 9 is forced to move upwards rotating around the hinge 10 until the sections 8 and 9 will be brought in line (FIG. 2) and the conveyor has thus attained its working arrangement, afterwards the hinge 10 can be made inoperative, by locking the adjacent ends of the sections 8 and 9 to each other by means of a pin 26 which is inserted into the holes 27a,27b, which in this arrangement are come into register with each other and which are arranged in lugs respectively integral 'with the adjacent ends of the frames 8 and 9.

Starting from the position shown in FIG. 2 the conveyor is now caused to rotate around the pivot axis V V of the hinge pin 19 until its charging end 8a will be placed below the discharge opening 6a of the mixer 5, while automatically the conventional distribution chute 7 is caused to move away from said opening, in the event that such a chute has been provided. For such a purpose said chute 7 (FIGS. 5 to 10) is carried through an adjustable carrying means 28 by a rod 29 articulated at 30 to the stationary framework 17, said rod 29 being a member of an articulated rod guiding system further comprising a rod 31 which is pivotally connected at one of its ends to the said rod 29 and at 32 to a fork-like member 33 integral with the sleeve 16 carrying the shaft 34, the axis WW of which constitutes the vertical pivot axis around which the conveyor has to rotate in order to be moved from one of its various working positions to another.

At the lower end of the shaft 34 is fixedly connected a short arm 35 to which is articulated at 36 one of the ends of a second jack 37 or the like, which is articulated at its other end at 38 to the stationary frame 17.

By actuating the jack 37 which operates in a substantially horizontal plane, the bracket 18 is caused to rotate together with the sleeve 16 and the shaft 34, around the vertical pivot axis V-V of the hinge 19 as i said members are made integral with each other by the insertion of the pin 45 so that the conveyor can be displaced from the arrangement of FIGS. 2 and 8, in which its center plane YY is parallel to the longitudinal vertical center plane XX of the vehicle, to the position in which said vertical center planes are coincident (FIGS. 3 and 3a). In this position the fork like arm 33 provided with a vertical hole 39 has been brought in the plane XX and the hole 39 comes into register with a vertical hole 40 arranged in a bracket 41 outwardly projecting from the framework 17, in said now aligned holes being inserted a pin 42. When the conveyor is moving from the position of FIG. 2 towards the position of FIG. 3, contemporaneously the rod system 28,31 and 33 moves away the chute 7 from the discharge opening 60 of the mixer 5 and brings said chute 7 on a side of said orifice, while the charging end 811 of the conveyor will be placed now below the said discharge opening 6a. By the insertion of the pin 42 into the holes 39,40 any further movement of the members 29,31,18 and 33 is prevented.

Therefore after the locking means between the shaft 34 and the sleeve 16 having been removed by the removal of the pin 45, by means of the actuation of the jack 37 which acts on the arm 35, which now serves as a crank, the shaft 34 together with the fork member 14 carrying the conveyor is caused to rotate around the axis WW of the shaft 34 so as to force the conveyor to perform rotary movements in horizontal in order to move it from a working position to another either on the right-hand or left-hand side of the plane XX within a range of angular movements of about 180, two of said working positions being shown in the FIGS. 9 and 10. The angular displacements of the conveyor along a vertical plane can be performed by actuating the first jack 22 which acts substantially in the plane XX, said conveyor rotating around the horizontal hinge axis ZZ, when the pin 26 has been inserted and the pin 25 has been removed. Owing to said angular displacements performed along a vertical plane the conveyor can be arranged so as to allow the material to be raised from or lowered towards locations along differently inclined paths below the horizontal plane in which the discharge of said material on the conveyor endless belt 11 takes place, said paths being inclined of such angles which are compatible with the adhesion degree of the material to be conveyed with regard to said conveyor endless band 1 l by which the transport is carried out. The same operations according to the opposite sequence will be performed to cause the conveyor to be brought back in its operative arrangement for the transferring of the vehicle from one of the working spot to another or for returning of the eventual mixer 5 to the mixing concrete equipment, where the concrete is prepared, for a new filling of said mixer.

In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 11 to 13 provision has been made to construct a carrying structure of the conveyor constituted of three sections 8,9 and 9a, the last two sections of which are interconnected by a hinge 10a having an axis which is set at right angle with regard to the longitudinal vertical center plane YY, as the axis of the hinge 10, but which is arranged near the upper surface of said sections.

All the devices for' the bearing, the articulation and the locking of the continuous conveyor are similar to those which have been described with reference to the preceding embodiment; according to this variant is only further provided an other articulated rod guiding system, which is per se well known, and which is adapted for forcing the part 9a to rotate in the clockwise direction around the hinge 10a through an angle of 180, at the same time as the section 9 rotates through an angle a littly smaller than 90 in the opposite direction around the axis of the hinge 10 in order to be brought in alignment with the section 8. According to this variant which allows a conveyor to be constructed on an increased working length, in effect the endless band 11 entrained over the section 9a, as this latter turns over the section 9, tends to move away from its supporting frame 9a, but that cannot give any inconvenience, since said band can readily rest on the section 9.

The articulated rod guiding system comprises a rod 46 which is pivotally connected to the section 8 at a certain distance from the hinge at a point 47 which is sufficiently spaced apart from it, said rod 46 being also connected to a joint point 48, where are also pivotally connected two rods 49 and 50, one of which is also pivotally connected at 51 to the end of the section 9 at a certain distance from the hinge 10a and the other is pivotally connected with the common joint point 52, to which are also pivotally connected to rods 53 and 54, which are also pivotally connected to the ends of the sections 9 and 9a respectively which are adjacent to the hinge 10a. The lengths of the rods of said articulated rod system are determined in such a manner that as the jack 22 extends and forces the section 9 to move upwards, the rod 46 rotates around the pivot 47 forcing the common joint point 48 which is restrained to the section 9 by the rod 49, to raise. This causes the common joint point 52 to rotate moving outwards and downwards so that the rod 53 which now acts as a strut, and the rod 54 which acts as a tie rod force the section 9a to rotate in the clockwise direction with regard to the section 9 until they are arranged in line as shown the FIGS. 11 to 13.

I claim:

17 A continuous conveyor of a foldable type mounted on a wheeled frame, preferably of a self-propelled vehicle, together with the means for driving the endless band or the like of the conveyor and with the means provided to vary the relative positions of the parts forming the carrying structure on which is entrained said endless band in order to move-the conveyor from its inoperative position in which it is folded in such an arrangement, where it occupies the most reduced space, to any desired working position, said conveyor being preferably associated with a rotating mixer or other similar container mounted on the same wheeled frame, characterized by the fact that said continuous conveyor is constituted of at least two sections, each formed of a substantially rectangular frame, said frame being pivotally interconnected by a hinge having a horizontal pivot axis, while the conveyor near its charging end of its first section is supported, so as to freely projecting outwards, by a bracket which in turn is pivotally connected with a stationary framework, fixedly mounted on said wheeled frame, by means of a first hinge having a vertical axis, as well as with a sup porting member by means of a second hinge having a vertical axis, said supporting member carrying said conveyor by means of a second hinge having a horizontal axis, and said bracket being so proportionate as to allow the conveyor to rotate around the axis of the first hinge having a vertical axis and to be moved from its arrangement, in which it is folded along a lateral side of the vehicle, to an arrangement in which its charging end is positioned in the longitudinal vertical center plane of the vehicle and just below the discharge opening of the mixer or the like associated therewith, disconnectable locking means being provided adapted to selectively make inoperative said hinges, being also provided first driving means operating in a substantially vertical plane and which are arranged between said supporting member and an intermediate point of the second section and designed for forcing this latter to rotate around the pivot axis of the first hinge having a horizontal axis until said second section is arranged in line with the first one starting from the folded position of the conveyor or vice versa, when by means of the respective locking means the second hinge having a horizontal axis and the second hinge having a vertical axis are made inoperative respectively, and means for forcing the conveyor to perform angular displacements along a vertical plane, when removable locking means are inserted adapted to lock the first hinge having a horizontal axis and which connects said two first sections of the conveyor and when is made operative the second hinge having a horizontal axis provided on the supporting member carrying the charging end of the conveyor and which is connected with the stationary framework by means of a rod guiding system associated with second driving means operating in a substantially horizontal plane, said rod guiding means being associated with locking means of a disengageable type adapted to lock said guiding system to the stationary framework, when the charging end of the conveyor has attained a position adapted to receive the material, i.e., is placed below the discharge opening of the mixer or the like, enabling the said conveyor to be forced to rotate by the said second driving means around the axis of the second hinge having a vertical pivot axis, when the respective locking means provided to make inoperative said hinge has been removed.

2. A conveyor according to claim 1, wherein the frame of the first section of the conveyor is carried by a supporting means comprising a vertical shaft pivotally mounted into a sleeve securely connected to the said bracket and which carries through a fork-like arm the charging end of said first section of the conveyor by meansof two coaxial pins having a horizontal axis which is set a right angle with respect of the longitudinal vertical center plane of the conveyor, said pins constituting the second hinge having a horizontal pivot axis, a first disconnectable locking means being provided in order to lock the fork-like arm to said frame of the first section so as to make inoperative the second hinge having a horizontal axis in the substantially vertical position of said first section of the conveyor, a second disconnectable locking means being further, provided to lock said sleeve to said supporting shaft, said first and second locking means being constituted of holes arranged in said sleeve and shaft respectively and designed for coming into register and to house a locking pin.

3. A conveyor according to claim 1, wherein the first articulation hinge having a horizontal axis is arranged in the lower part of the adjacent ends of the first and second frames forming the carrying structure over which is entrained the endless band, while at the upper part of them lugs are provided where holes having horizontal axes are arranged designed for coming into register, when said sections are arranged in line, so as to receive a removable locking pin.

4. A conveyor according to claim 1, wherein the rotation of the second section of the conveyor with respect to the first one around the pivot axis of the first axis and made operative by the removal of the corresponding locking means when the said first hinge having a horizontal axis has been locked, is carried out by said first driving means constituted of a jack articulated at one of its ends to an arm securely connected to a fork-like supporting means of the conveyor, and at the other end to an intermediate point of the second section of said conveyor.

5. A conveyor according to claim 1 to be used in combination with a rotating mixer and the like carried by the same wheeled frame, characterized by the fact that the articulated guiding system further carried a discharge distribution chute of an angularly displaceable type, said system being arranged in such a manner that said chute is positioned below the discharge opening of the mixer, when the conveyor is in its inoperative position, while automatically is moved away from said opening in order to allow that the charging end of the conveyor can replace said chute below the discharge opening of the mixer, in any working position of the conveyor, said articulated system being pivotally connected at one of its ends to the framework which is securely fixed to the wheeled frame of the vehicle, and at the other end to an arm outwardly projecting from the sleeve, into which is pivotally mounted the fork-like supporting member carrying the conveyor through the second hinge having a horizontal axis, at the end of said arm being arranged a vertical hole designed for coming into register with an analogous hole provided into a bracket integral with the stationary framework of the vehicle in the arrangement of the parts, wherein the charging end of the conveyor is so positioned as to be able to receive the material, said holes being designed for receiving a removable locking pin.

6. A conveyor according to claim 1, wherein the lower end of the shaft of the fork-like supporting member is further made integral with an outwardly projecting armito which is articulated a jack which constitute the second driving means and which is articulated at the other end to the stationary framework of the vehicle, said jack, when are made operative the means provided for locking the guiding system and the means provided for locking the first and second hinges having a horizontal axis respectively and has been removed the pin locking the shaft of the fork-like member to the supporting sleeve, forces said supporting member together with the conveyor to rotate around the vertical axis of the second hinge having a vertical axis with respect to the said sleeve and to the bracket integral therewith.

7. A conveyor according to claim 1, wherein the conveyor is constituted of two sections.

8. A conveyor according to claim 1 wherein the conveyor is constituted of three sections, interconnected by means of hinges having parallel and horizontal axes which are set at right angle with respect to the longitu' dinal vertical center plane of the conveyor, that hinge which is arranged between the first and second sections being positioned near the lower surface of said sections, while the other hinge is arranged near the upper surface of the second and third sections.

9. A conveyor according to claim 1, wherein the three sections constituting the carrying structure of the conveyor are associated with a rod guiding system adapted to co-ordinate the movements of said sections and to force the second section rotate with respect to the first one in one direction through an angle of about at the same time the third section is forced to rotate through an angle of in the opposite direction with respect to the preceding one, so that when the conveyor is in its folded position, the first section is set at an angle littly higher than 90; with respect to the second section and the third section has been pivoted in a horizontal plane and rests on the second section, while said rod system forces said sections to rotate in opposite direction for forcing said sections to be arranged in line, causing the second section to rotate through an angle of a value littly smaller than 90 with respect to the first section and the third section to rotate through an angle of 180 with respect to the second section.

10. A conveyor according to claim 1, wherein the parts designed for carrying the conveyor or for moving it from its inoperative position to an operative position and vice versa are mounted on the wheeled frame' and are so dimensioned that the conveyor in its folded position together with the parts associated therewith does not exceed the whole clearance gauge of the vehicle. 

1. A continuous conveyor of a foldable type mounted on a wheeled frame, preferably of a self-propelled vehicle, together with the means for driving the endless band or the like of the conveyor and with the means provided to vary the relative positions of the parts forming the carrying structure on which is entrained said endless band in order to move the conveyor from its inoperative position in which it is folded in such an arrangement, where it occupies the most reduced space, to any desired working position, said conveyor being preferably associated with a rotating mixer or other similar container mounted on the same wheeled frame, characterized by the fact that said continuous conveyor is constituted of at least two sections, each formed of a substantially rectangular frame, said frame being pivotally interconnected by a hinge having a horizontal pivot axis, while the conveyor near its charging end of its first section is supported, so as to freely projecting outwards, by a brAcket which in turn is pivotally connected with a stationary framework, fixedly mounted on said wheeled frame, by means of a first hinge having a vertical axis, as well as with a supporting member by means of a second hinge having a vertical axis, said supporting member carrying said conveyor by means of a second hinge having a horizontal axis, and said bracket being so proportionate as to allow the conveyor to rotate around the axis of the first hinge having a vertical axis and to be moved from its arrangement, in which it is folded along a lateral side of the vehicle, to an arrangement in which its charging end is positioned in the longitudinal vertical center plane of the vehicle and just below the discharge opening of the mixer or the like associated therewith, disconnectable locking means being provided adapted to selectively make inoperative said hinges, being also provided first driving means operating in a substantially vertical plane and which are arranged between said supporting member and an intermediate point of the second section and designed for forcing this latter to rotate around the pivot axis of the first hinge having a horizontal axis until said second section is arranged in line with the first one starting from the folded position of the conveyor or vice versa, when by means of the respective locking means the second hinge having a horizontal axis and the second hinge having a vertical axis are made inoperative respectively, and means for forcing the conveyor to perform angular displacements along a vertical plane, when removable locking means are inserted adapted to lock the first hinge having a horizontal axis and which connects said two first sections of the conveyor and when is made operative the second hinge having a horizontal axis provided on the supporting member carrying the charging end of the conveyor and which is connected with the stationary framework by means of a rod guiding system associated with second driving means operating in a substantially horizontal plane, said rod guiding means being associated with locking means of a disengageable type adapted to lock said guiding system to the stationary framework, when the charging end of the conveyor has attained a position adapted to receive the material, i.e., is placed below the discharge opening of the mixer or the like, enabling the said conveyor to be forced to rotate by the said second driving means around the axis of the second hinge having a vertical pivot axis, when the respective locking means provided to make inoperative said hinge has been removed.
 2. A conveyor according to claim 1, wherein the frame of the first section of the conveyor is carried by a supporting means comprising a vertical shaft pivotally mounted into a sleeve securely connected to the said bracket and which carries through a fork-like arm the charging end of said first section of the conveyor by means of two coaxial pins having a horizontal axis which is set a right angle with respect of the longitudinal vertical center plane of the conveyor, said pins constituting the second hinge having a horizontal pivot axis, a first disconnectable locking means being provided in order to lock the fork-like arm to said frame of the first section so as to make inoperative the second hinge having a horizontal axis in the substantially vertical position of said first section of the conveyor, a second disconnectable locking means being further, provided to lock said sleeve to said supporting shaft, said first and second locking means being constituted of holes arranged in said sleeve and shaft respectively and designed for coming into register and to house a locking pin.
 3. A conveyor according to claim 1, wherein the first articulation hinge having a horizontal axis is arranged in the lower part of the adjacent ends of the first and second frames forming the carrying structure over which is entrained the endless band, while at the upper part of them lugs are provided where holes having horizontal axes are arranged designeD for coming into register, when said sections are arranged in line, so as to receive a removable locking pin.
 4. A conveyor according to claim 1, wherein the rotation of the second section of the conveyor with respect to the first one around the pivot axis of the first hinge having a horizontal axis, when are made inoperative by the respective locking means the other hinge having a horizontal axis as well as the second hinge having a vertical axis, or the rotation of the whole conveyor with regard of the first hinge having a vertical axis and made operative by the removal of the corresponding locking means when the said first hinge having a horizontal axis has been locked, is carried out by said first driving means constituted of a jack articulated at one of its ends to an arm securely connected to a fork-like supporting means of the conveyor, and at the other end to an intermediate point of the second section of said conveyor.
 5. A conveyor according to claim 1 to be used in combination with a rotating mixer and the like carried by the same wheeled frame, characterized by the fact that the articulated guiding system further carried a discharge distribution chute of an angularly displaceable type, said system being arranged in such a manner that said chute is positioned below the discharge opening of the mixer, when the conveyor is in its inoperative position, while automatically is moved away from said opening in order to allow that the charging end of the conveyor can replace said chute below the discharge opening of the mixer, in any working position of the conveyor, said articulated system being pivotally connected at one of its ends to the framework which is securely fixed to the wheeled frame of the vehicle, and at the other end to an arm outwardly projecting from the sleeve, into which is pivotally mounted the fork-like supporting member carrying the conveyor through the second hinge having a horizontal axis, at the end of said arm being arranged a vertical hole designed for coming into register with an analogous hole provided into a bracket integral with the stationary framework of the vehicle in the arrangement of the parts, wherein the charging end of the conveyor is so positioned as to be able to receive the material, said holes being designed for receiving a removable locking pin.
 6. A conveyor according to claim 1, wherein the lower end of the shaft of the fork-like supporting member is further made integral with an outwardly projecting arm to which is articulated a jack which constitute the second driving means and which is articulated at the other end to the stationary framework of the vehicle, said jack, when are made operative the means provided for locking the guiding system and the means provided for locking the first and second hinges having a horizontal axis respectively and has been removed the pin locking the shaft of the fork-like member to the supporting sleeve, forces said supporting member together with the conveyor to rotate around the vertical axis of the second hinge having a vertical axis with respect to the said sleeve and to the bracket integral therewith.
 7. A conveyor according to claim 1, wherein the conveyor is constituted of two sections.
 8. A conveyor according to claim 1, wherein the conveyor is constituted of three sections, interconnected by means of hinges having parallel and horizontal axes which are set at right angle with respect to the longitudinal vertical center plane of the conveyor, that hinge which is arranged between the first and second sections being positioned near the lower surface of said sections, while the other hinge is arranged near the upper surface of the second and third sections.
 9. A conveyor according to claim 1, wherein the three sections constituting the carrying structure of the conveyor are associated with a rod guiding system adapted to co-ordinate the movements of said sections and to force the second section rotate with respect to the first one in one direction through an angle of aBout 90*, at the same time the third section is forced to rotate through an angle of 180* in the opposite direction with respect to the preceding one, so that when the conveyor is in its folded position, the first section is set at an angle littly higher than 90*; with respect to the second section and the third section has been pivoted in a horizontal plane and rests on the second section, while said rod system forces said sections to rotate in opposite direction for forcing said sections to be arranged in line, causing the second section to rotate through an angle of a value littly smaller than 90* with respect to the first section and the third section to rotate through an angle of 180* with respect to the second section.
 10. A conveyor according to claim 1, wherein the parts designed for carrying the conveyor or for moving it from its inoperative position to an operative position and vice versa are mounted on the wheeled frame and are so dimensioned that the conveyor in its folded position together with the parts associated therewith does not exceed the whole clearance gauge of the vehicle. 